Walk Ins Welcome
by chickenwriter
Summary: What was Charlotte thinking on the days she walked in on Clarisse and Joe, and what did she see that we did not?  CJ Oneshot


**Walk Ins Welcome**

_What was Charlotte thinking on the days she walked in on Clarisse and Joe, and what did she see that we did not? _

_Romance/General_

"_Yes_, that's what I said, two fountains. I know. I _know _two were delivered last week. Yes, two! Thank you, I'll tell her majesty right away." Charlotte, the queen of Genovia's humble assistant, hung up the phone. Her queen could be quite demanding sometimes, and she had ordered more fountains, for the second time this month, for the consulate. "We already have fountains." Charlotte shook her head. She exited the room and headed towards the ballroom. She could hear a wonderful Spanish sound coming from where she was going. But Charlotte knew that Mia's lesson was today, and figured that was the reason for the music.

When she looked up, about to say something to interrupt, she saw the queen and Joe. They were dancing together, with no one watching. Their hands were clasped and their eyes were cast downward. Charlotte herself was almost swept up by the passion overcoming the room. Clarisse spun her partner slowly around, and he returned the favor. Their bodies moved so smoothly together, so in step with the music. They almost looked to be. . .in love. The worthy assistant knew she shouldn't be intruding on the moment, so she stepped out of sight. She could still see them, but they could not see her.

However, she doubted at this moment that they could see anything at all. Except each other. Charlotte almost jumped out of her skirt suit when Clarisse turned to face Joseph as the song ended. The couple's eyes were hungry, wanting something neither thought they could have. The queen looked up at her dance partner and a silent tear fell from her cheek.

"Clarisse?" Joseph whispered softly.

"Thank you." She replied, barely audible. He wrapped his arms around her waist for a hug and she pressed her soft lips to his. Joe, a bit taken aback, removed his hands immediately.

"Shut up!" Charlotte muttered under her breath. Now she really shouldn't be watching. So why was she still here?

"What...What's wrong?" Clarisse moved slightly away.

"I was surprised. You...you kissed me."

"Yes, I am aware of that." She spoke softly in his ear, kissing his neck and taking his hand. "Now. . ." Her words were lost in the crashing down of his lips now onto hers. When the kiss ended, he wordlessly led her down the hallway. Charlotte shivered.

"Whoa." She breathed, utterly shocked at what she had secretly witnessed. It looked as though she would be talking to her majesty for at least a few hours.

- - - - - -

It was two years later, and Charlotte had witnessed to many dances to count. Some of these dances had been public, some private. Today, however, was a well deserved, yet very rare, slow day in the palace. The lovely assistant had one thing to discuss with her employer, and headed to Clarisse's chambers.

From outside the door of the queen's suite, Charlotte could here a woman's laughter, muffled giggles escaping through the small crack under the door. With a quizzical expression on her face, she entered. On the couch was Clarisse, her laughter held suddenly inside upon being caught. Rather close to being all the way on top of the ruler of Genovia, was a certain head of the security department.

"Forgive me. Your majesty, I should have knocked." As she closed the door she added, "I _really _should have knocked." But being as nosey as she was about their relationship, she did not close the door all the way when she exited.

"No! Charlotte!" Clarisse pushed Joseph out of the way and walked swiftly towards the door. "Oh. . ." She sighed, looking back at Joseph who was buttoning his shirt and laughing softly. "Why are you laughing? We were caught, oh, what is Charlotte going to _think _of me?"

"Clarisse." Joseph pulled her down onto his lap, fighting the protests she gave upon his doing so. She had once said a _queen does not sit on any one's lap _"Do you really care what your assistant, who you would _and do_ trust your life with, thinks of you?" He ran a hand through her hair.

"Yes!" He looked at her scoldingly. "No. . .I guess not. . .if it involves you." She tried to smile.

"Good. Then I will go and do those security plans I was talking about." She moved off his lap.

"Please stay." She whispered as he rose.

"All right. I will." A smile came across his face and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Hmm." Clarisse mumbled against his mouth. "Thank you, darling." With that Charlotte shut the door, feeling very guilty about spying.

- - - - - -

Three years later, Charlotte knew that the queen had been proposed to. So when she saw Joe and Clarisse dancing once again in the empty ball room, she thought that perhaps she had agreed to marry the head of security Charlotte knew she had fallen in love with. Then the terrible fight happened. Joseph thought that because Clarisse had not given a definite yes, that it had meant no. He had stormed out of the ballroom, angrier then anyone had ever seen him. Clarisse sat in a chair and held her head in her hands. Charlotte just knew she was holding back tears. Fighting all the emotions bottled up inside from so many years of formidability. When she finally let a single tear fall, Charlotte entered the room.

"Your majesty."

"Charlotte! Can I just have one moment alone?!" She yelled. The assistant just walked out. She needed to be left alone. "No, Charlotte, come back, I'm sorry."

"I understand, your majesty."

"Charlotte, you have been working for me for _ten years_. You can call me Clarisse."

"Yes, ma'am...Clarisse." She fixed her mistake with ease.

"I'm sorry I snapped at. . .wait, how could you understand? Were you listening?"

"It was an accident, I apologize."

"No matter, the fight happened either way, and I don't know what I can do." More tears came, and Clarisse all but slapped them away.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No. . .I just. . ." Hiccup. "Can't lose him, I can't. I love him Charlotte, I really do." She was almost sobbing when Charlotte awkwardly wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm so sorry that there's nothing I can do."

"Thank you." Clarisse snapped out of her temporary emotional persona, and became cold again, fixing her jacket and wiping a few more tears off her face. "Please don't. . ."

"Not a soul." The queen smiled softly, knowing that she needn't worry that Charlotte tell anyone of her emotional mishap.


End file.
